10 Classic Rock Artists That NEVER Sold Out
2. Neil Young
Neil Young has covered more genres than most artists could even count at this point. Though he made his millions off of folk rockers like Heart of Gold, the amount of sonic left turns he has taken has earned him respect in some circles and absolute disdain in others. While the rest of the music industry is set on a specific formula for artists, Young has practically created an art of "couldn't-give-a-sh*t" ness.
Look no further than his first few successful releases like After the Gold Rush and Harvest, which created some of the most beautiful country-tinged rock ever conceived. Any artist can make a living out of that, and yet Young deliberately decided to head in the opposite direction. One minute you'll find him jamming on some rootsy hard rock, the next he'll be putting some strange electronic soundscape out without so much as a warning beforehand.
Instead of sounding borderline incoherent from one album to the next, this kind of wild persona has turned Neil into rock and roll's crazy uncle, one that we love to watch even if not everything he does is superb. Whatever position you find him, you can't dispute that what he is doing is coming from his heart and his soul. Others may like to play the game of stardom, but Neil Young isn't looking to dance to any tune except his own.